Tour '22, Stage 18: Over Cooking It

Ironically it was Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) who crashed on the descent of the Col de Spandelles.  It was believed by others that he would be able to use the descent to get an advantage on Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma).  Vingegaard had almost gone down about two turns earlier but was able to kick a leg out and stay upright.  Perhaps that was when Pogacar pushed himself even harder.  The road over the Col had been resurfaced with the dreaded chip and seal which always leaves gravel (the chip) in the corners and sometimes down the middle of the road as well.  That was how Pogacar went down, he came into a corner to fast, went off the edge of the road, and crashed as he came back onto the tarmac.  All I could think is that without gloves was, "that had to hurt!"  Vingegaard heard him go down and looked back to see what had happened.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g 

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Tour '22, Stage 18: Sprinting Up the Mountain

As I said early, I'm not sure why Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) was off the front of the stage, and even less so why he sprinted over the top of the Col de Spandelles.  He dropped both Dani Martinez (Ineos-Grenadiers) and Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ).  I keep expecting him to sit up and wait for his team leader.  He does later but not until the final climb of the day.  It is rather strange to see the Maillot Vert going over a category one climb first, but that is just the nature of the talent of Wout Van Aert.  

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g 

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Tour '22, Stage 18: Someone New

Everytime either Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) or Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) would attack, and the other covered it, Geraint Thomas (Ineos-Grenadiers) would get dropped.  And everytime he would slowly work his way back to the two leaders just ahead of him on the general classification.  Once the pair of them were joined by Vingegaard's teammate Sepp Kuss, there was an easing of the pace and a relative truce.  Naturally, Thomas saw that as a great opportunity to attack on teh Col de Spandelles.  Obviously, neither responded too quickly, they knew he would be pulled back.  Even if he wasn't he wouldn't gain an over five minute advantage on these two.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g 

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Tour '22, Stage 18: Locked Together

Despite multiple attempts on the Col d'Aubisque Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) & Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) were locked together.  As they rode up the new climb of the Col de Spandelles, the two were alone together as they chased down the final few members of the original break away.  They were glued together with Vingegaard following Pogacar making sure the latter didn't gain anytime on him.  Vingegaard has two minutes and eighteen seconds on the man with the bib number one pinned to the Maillot Blanc, so he just needs to keep the twice former winner of the Tour within his sight.

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g

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Tour '22, Stage 18: Climbing Virtually & Literally

The title is a bit of a play on the difference of literally and figuratively, something that bugs me when people say literally when they are actually using a metaphor, or a figure of speech.  I digress.  Louis Meintjes (Intermache-Wanty Gobert) while climbing the Col de Spandelles was climbing the virtual standings of the general classification during the stage.  Meaning if the race were to be stopped now, he would have moved up to third overall.  It has happened in the Tour, two years ago and it pulled the Maillot Jaune off of Julian Alaphilippe.  Meintjes was joined in the effort by Chris Hamilton (DSM) and Luis Leon Sanchez (Bahrain-Victorious).  I'm not sure if Sanchez was going forward with them, or he was dropping back from the lead group and was trying to get on Hamilton's wheel.  This is the first time the Tour has used the climb of the Col de Spandelles and it would have its say on the Tour (more later).

This is a small 4x6 inch original watercolor painting that is available through my website at greigleach.com or you can simply follow the direct link at the end of the post to purchase the painting above. Since it is an original work of art, it is a first come first served reality. The painting was created using Yarka St. Petersburg watercolors and Steve Quiller brushes from www.Richesonart.com. The work sells for $90 USD including shipping, and yes, international shipping is available. 

If you can't afford to purchase a piece you could always help keep me going by buying me a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/greigsartc.  And check out my vlogs at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLGX-TnjXDSkkOidUE6pN1g

https://www.greigleach.com/large-multi-view/Tour-de-France--Tour-de-France-Femmes-2022/3895192-114-294403/Painting/climbing-virtually-literally-tdf22-115.html